'When trying to question [Francis Carlton] Crowley, he appeared to be under the influence of drugs and was not making sense to officers,' authorities said, adding that Crowley 'indicated the baby was possibly buried somewhere in the mountains.'

After six hours of searching on foot a deputy heard the faint cry of a baby.

'For all of us at the sheriff’s office, this is what we call a miracle,' officials said in aFacebook post featuring a photo of the baby with dirt under his tiny fingernails.

'For the officers who were present for this event, it’s especially hard knowing what this small baby endured in the last 24 hours.'

Crowley, 32, who was supposed to be taking care of the baby, was arrested for criminal endangerment. His relationship to the child is still unknown, as is the identity of the boy’s mother.